In What Ways was Modern Art Different?

(Characteristics)

Although there is no single defining feature of "Modern Art", it was noted for a number of
important characteristics, as follows:

(1) New Types of Art

Modern artists were the first to develop collage art, assorted forms of assemblage, a
variety of kinetic art (inc mobiles), several genres of photography, animation (drawing
plus photography) land art or earthworks, and performance art.

(2) Use of New Materials

Modern painters affixed objects to their canvases, such as fragments of newspaper and
other items. Sculptors used "found objects", like the "readymades" of Marcel Duchamp,
from which they created works of Junk art. Assemblages were created out of the most
ordinary everyday items, like cars, clocks, suitcases, wooden boxes and other items.

(3) Expressive Use of Colour

Movements of modern art like Fauvism, Expressionism and Colour Field painting were
the first to exploit colour in a major way.

(4) New Techniques

Chromolithography was invented by the poster artist Jules Cheret, automatic drawing
was developed by surrealist painters, as was Frottage and Decalcomania. Gesturalist
painters invented Action Painting. Pop artists introduced "Benday dots", and silkscreen
printing into fine art. Other movements and schools of modern art which introduced new
painting techniques, included: Neo-Impressionism, the Macchiaioli, Synthetism,
Cloisonnism, Gesturalism, Tachisme, Kinetic Art, Neo-Dada and Op-Art.